Book News 09/2017

'Captain Underpants' creator talks about his books, the power of imagination

Pilkey said the main thing he hopes children take away from his books is a love of reading, and a realization that it can be a joy. When he was young, he said, teachers often discouraged him from reading Mad magazine or “Peanuts,” but his mother taught ...(Sep 1, 2017, Carroll County Times)

Playing Devil's Advocate to Worries on Amazon's Digital Book Monopoly

Every book that I buy is a digital book sold by Amazon. I buy lots of books, and they are all Amazon Kindle e-books, or Audible (owned by Amazon) audiobooks. Each time I purchase a digital book from Amazon, I find myself worried that I'm complicit in a ...(Sep 1, 2017, Inside Higher Ed (blog))

'Sweet Spot' With Mike Sugerman: Audio Books Are Going To The Dogs

Now, he wants your dog to get book smart by listening to books on tape. “We're here to launch the Audible for Dogs,” he explains. Audible for dogs – audio books you leave on when you leave the house and leave your dog alone. “The dog is going to stay ...(Sep 1, 2017, CBS New York)

This Guide Will Help You Publish eBooks Independently

It can be notoriously tough to try to publish a book the old fashioned way — countless submissions, rejection after rejection, and rounds of revision all make for a seriously uphill battle. Take a shortcut and reach vast audiences by self-publishing ...(Sep 1, 2017, Gothamist)

Monkfish Publishing

Since the dawn of the internet, one question has occupied the minds of readers, writers, and publishers alike: Is the book dying? Statistics say no. According to the Association of American Publishers, book publishing revenue was up 4.9 percent, or ...(Sep 1, 2017, Chronogram)

Publisher pulps boys' guide to puberty over explanation of breasts

A book aimed at explaining human biology to boys that said one of the purposes of breasts was “to make the girl look grown up and attractive” is now being pulped. Publisher Usborne was criticised over an extract from Alex Frith's Growing Up for Boys ...(Sep 1, 2017, The Guardian)

How forests balance the books in a changing climate

Climate change poses a unique set of threats to the world's forests. Forests are vital for ecosystems, water and nutrient cycles, and carbon management, so dying trees are a worrying prospect. And increased temperatures and droughts certainly have the ...(Sep 1, 2017, Ars Technica)

'Star Wars' books and comics to read before 'The Last Jedi'

Star Wars is the reigning champion when it comes to tie-in books and comics. After dropping the entire Expanded Universe in 2014, Disney and Marvel have built a new canon of stories around the core franchise, including several books about the ...(Sep 1, 2017, The Daily Dot)

Capitol centennial, Vin Baker recovery featured in new Wisconsin books

The first half of Edmonds' book leads up to the fire and construction of the current Capitol; the latter half explores the Capitol as a backdrop for Wisconsin history, including Gov. Scott Walker's signing of Act 10 in 2010, and subsequent protests ...(Sep 1, 2017, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

This children's book author doesn't seem to know what boobs are for

I'm a 34-year-old woman, and for the life of me, I still can't tell you why boobs exist. But that doesn't mean I'm about to turn to Growing Up for Boys, a puberty guide that recently went viral for its MRA-inspired description of women's development ...(Sep 1, 2017, Mashable)

We've made it through the dog days of summer, and now it is time to start preparing for fall in the best way: adding to your TBR. If you're looking for nonfiction reads in particular, you should be excited; September's new releases in nonfiction are ...(Sep 1, 2017, Bustle)

#19YearsLater: Harry Potter Fans Live Out Final Book's Ending

Hundreds of Harry Potter fans descended on King's Cross train station Friday morning to celebrate the final scene of J.K. Rowling's multibillion-dollar book and film phenomenon. The ending of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” sees its main ...(Sep 1, 2017, NBCNews.com)

What Game of Thrones Season 7 Tells Us About George RR Martin's Next Book

As such, for huge fans of the book series, watching season seven became a very meta detective mission. Which of the show's plotlines will end up in The Winds of Winter, Martin's next book in the ASOIAF series? Which won't? Which details will be used in ...(Sep 1, 2017, Vulture)

Working for a living: These books capture the feeling

As much as I complain about actually working, I am intrigued by what people do to earn a living. From movies to TV shows to books, I am drawn to storylines that portray people's workplaces, be they coal mines, classrooms, taxicab companies or corporate ...(Sep 1, 2017, Dallas News (blog))

The 11 Best Fiction Books Out In September 2017 To Read While Celebrating The Beginning Of Fall

From the drama of 19th century Spanish royalty, to the intrigue of small Southern towns, to futuristic worlds of drugs and tech, this list of books is covering an impressive amount of ground. Sure, the summer may have been a good time for light, fluffy ...(Sep 1, 2017, Bustle)

From CIA To Comic Books: The Secret Origin of BATMAN's TOM KING

When Tom King signed on as co-writer of the "New 52" series Grayson, DC Comics promoted his background as a CIA operative that would inspire that run. That was definitely a new way to promote a comic book. Although there's been plenty of comic book ...(Sep 1, 2017, Newsarama)

When kids enter the space, says Jeanne-Aimee De Marrais, senior director for U.S. emergencies for Save the Children, they see large colorful mats on the floor, building blocks, books, long tables for arts and crafts, stacks of construction paper ...(Sep 1, 2017, Mashable)

28 New Fiction Books To Add To Your Must-Read List This Fall

The author of National Book Award-winning novel Salvage the Bones returns to fiction with the story of a mother struggling with drug addiction and grief and her two young children, as they leave her parents' home and set out on a fateful journey to ...(Sep 1, 2017, HuffPost)

Print, Audio Keep Publishers Moving Ahead

In general, publishers reported higher sales of print books and downloadable audio, while e-book sales continued to slump. With no new titles making big splashes in the first six months of the year, several companies pointed to the importance of ...(Sep 1, 2017, Publishers Weekly)

Facets of Faith: Self-help books have spiritual foundations

In her book published by Loyola Press, Eldredge starts by sharing about her first attempt at an hour of silent prayer. She also tells how during preparation for her confirmation into Catholicism, a teacher challenged her beliefs, telling her that she ...(Sep 2, 2017, The Advocate)

Topeka author writes and illustrates Christian children's books

Bulmer, a retired teacher in the Topeka Public Schools, has self-published three children's books containing her writings — including both stories and poetry — along with her artwork. The first book is titled “There's a Mouse in My Couch!,” which ...(Sep 2, 2017, Topeka Capital Journal)

Mexico celeb vs Panama 170901 Mexico booked its ticket to the 2018 World Cup with a 1-0 win over Panama on Friday night. MEXICO CITY -- Three quick thoughts from Mexico's 1-0 win over Panama, which sees El Tri secure their place at the 2018 World ...(Sep 2, 2017, ESPN FC (blog))

Publisher of Buddhist books in English has Colorado ties

The city is home to what's said to be the largest publisher of English-language Buddhist books in the world -- although this publishing house is far from limited to only Buddhist topics. The focus: books that are inspirational and contribute toward a ...(Sep 2, 2017, Pueblo Chieftain)

Should kindergarten include books about being transgender?

She began to learn her way around the subject when her teacher at her Northern California charter school, Rocklin Academy Gateway, read from the book “I am Jazz,” co-written by transgender teenager Jazz Jennings. Earlier that week the teacher had told ...(Sep 2, 2017, Los Angeles Times)

Authorship aims to simplify the book publishing process by giving all the authorities to the author. When an author publishes a book at the platform, he/she enjoys all the rights and does not have to comply with the complex policies of publishers ...(Sep 2, 2017, Bitcoin News (press release))

'Legal but tacky': Trump keeps using his Twitter account to promote pundits who support him on Fox News

Though one endorsement was sarcastic — Trump advised Americans to buy "Reasons To Vote For Democrats," a book that has 260 blank pages — the president has used his Twitter account on four occasions during his presidency to promote books by vocal ...(Sep 2, 2017, Business Insider)

Books: Looking back at Vietnam, LA writer Ben Loory and more

Happy Labor Day Weekend! Whatever you're doing over the holiday, I hope you'll get a chance to read. Up next for me is an October book that I'll be writing about, which I'll discuss more when the time comes. For now, let's get to this week in books ...(Sep 2, 2017, Los Angeles Times)

11 books the Army's top officer recommends to help understand World War II

The US Army has distributed reading recommendations so that soldiers and civilians can explore "the decisive role played by landpower in conflicts across the centuries," and a number of the books dive into World War II and its origins. Below are some ...(Sep 2, 2017, Business Insider)

Creating Comics Is Hard – Comicker Is Here To Help!

When I co-founded Comicker LLC, our focus was to put comic book creators first: we offer our creators the second-best deal in comics (or so we've been told by lawyers), but the most flexible schedule of any comic book publisher. We got to that point ...(Sep 2, 2017, Bleeding Cool News)

Teesside welder clinches book publishing deal

A former apprentice welder from Teesside is now a published author - with a book he wrote during fifteen minute lunch breaks over two years at work. Antony Buxton worked for a welding factory in Darlington but wrote his novel during his lunch breaks ...(Sep 2, 2017, ITV News)

Books about Russia are red-hot right now

The latest book finds Smiley protege Peter Guillam retired from the world of spies, enjoying some rest and relaxation on a farm in southern Brittany. But his Cold War past gets dredged up again as he and other colleagues are called back to London to ...(Sep 2, 2017, New York Post)

Books fill Civic Center for slain librarian's memorial

The books were donated within 24 hours and will be donated back to lending libraries and the library where the shooting happened after the service. The memorial is scheduled for Tuesday September 5, 2017 at 2 p.m. at the Civic Center in Clovis. The ...(Sep 3, 2017, KOAT Albuquerque)

Chipping in to restock books lost to Harvey

As the catastrophic scope of Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey became clear, authors and publishers began rounding up support for victims. Simon & Schuster, for example, offered public libraries, school libraries and booksellers books to restore ...(Sep 3, 2017, Virginian-Pilot)

Good books to read on your life's journey

If you're looking for a good book to read, look no further than this column dedicated to my annual list of recommended books. The first two books landed on my list during my part-time work as a hospice chaplain last year. I unearthed powerful ...(Sep 3, 2017, Charleston Post Courier)

Children's books have an eye on the sky

This is one in a series of monthly reviews of books for young people written by teachers of children's literature. Today's reviews are by Alexa Sandmann, professor of literacy at Kent State University. The sky, including stars — like the sun — and ...(Sep 3, 2017, Toledo Blade)

Written for children, this is one of the first books I read in which the protagonist's parents were absent in one way or another. Aerin's mother is dead, her father distant, and her longing for them as tangible as the dragons she will attempt to fight ...(Sep 3, 2017, The Week Magazine)

Author Spotlight: Geri A. Condon of McHenry

... with his disease. How are you publishing this book and why (traditional/indie/self-publishing)?. It is self-published through Createspace/Amazon. I really wanted to get the message and story out to those who need this and did not want to wait on a ...(Sep 3, 2017, Northwest Herald)

How do you save a wet book? Put it in the freezer

The water may have receded. But if your house flooded last week, you probably have some wet books and other paper materials. What to do? If you want to save a wet book, you might be able to. But it will require some time and effort. After the Memorial ...(Sep 3, 2017, Chron.com)

Pilkey followed up by sketching a series of his most famous characters — it only takes him 38 seconds to draw the eponymous character from his “Captain Underpants” books — and handing them out to students particularly well-versed in his work. He even ...(Sep 3, 2017, Inside NoVA)

A deep downsizing: Stan Cohen steppng back from the book publishing life

Stan Cohen, right, talks with John Rimel as he moves a pallet of books from Cohen's Pictorial Histories Publishing Co. to Rimel's Mountain Press Publishing. After 41 years of publishing pictorial history books, 36 of those at his location on West ...(Sep 3, 2017, The Missoulian)

A deep downsizing: Stan Cohen stepping back from the book publishing life

Stan Cohen, right, talks with John Rimel as he moves a pallet of books from Cohen's Pictorial Histories Publishing Co. to Rimel's Mountain Press Publishing. After 41 years of publishing pictorial history books, 36 of those at his location on West ...(Sep 3, 2017, The Missoulian)

Check It Out: Books about glass offer illuminating information

“Chihuly: Gardens & Glass,” by Dale Chihuly — We have many books about and by Dale Chihuly, so take your pick when searching the catalog. This title celebrates Chihuly's installations at the Garfield Park Conservatory located in Chicago. • “Glass ...(Sep 3, 2017, The Columbian)

Grant helps area children record their own stories for audio books

After publishing their second book earlier this year, some area children are taking their literary efforts to another level. Thanks to a grant from Freeborn-Mower Cooperative Services, students at Kids College, at the Historic Bessesen building on ...(Sep 3, 2017, Albert Lea Tribune)

Amazon's AbeBooks rare books and collectibles site has been down since Friday night

AbeBooks, an Amazon-owned company that offers vintage books, rare collectibles and fine art, has been offline since late Friday due to a technical issue impacting all of its sites and online services. In one message on Twitter this weekend, AbeBooks ...(Sep 3, 2017, GeekWire)

New Mexico Book Club Raises Eyebrows Over Christian Book

LAS VEGAS, N.M. (AP) — A book club mandated for supervisors of a New Mexico county to teach leadership skills is drawing scrutiny over a Christian book. That's because the first book required for reading among San Miguel County department directors ...(Sep 4, 2017, U.S. News & World Report)

Del Val grad to publish first children's book

The book, written for kids in grades 3 to 7, “is about love, acceptance and the unconditional bond between a young girl and her pet pig. The main character, 11-year-old Josie Shilling, also faces struggles, both within herself and as a middle child in ...(Sep 4, 2017, MyCentralJersey.com)

Jack Daniel's owner's books conflict with SEC guidelines: report

That popular folksy TV advertising image of Lynchburg, Tenn., townspeople in a field suddenly seems a bit on the blurry side. An examination of parent Brown-Forman's financial results reveals the Jack Daniel's whiskey maker based in Lynchburg is using ...(Sep 4, 2017, New York Post)

Children's books with humans, not animals more effective, study says

The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) and published in the journal Developmental Science, found that children who read a book with human characters were more affected than ...(Sep 4, 2017, Austin American-Statesman)

Green Apple Books, a singular store, celebrates 50th anniversary

If there's any indication that portents of the death of print are and have always been misguided, it could be easily seen in the history of places like San Francisco's Green Apple Books. And if there's any indication that bookstores nevertheless ...(Sep 4, 2017, SFGate)